Capsicum and Chilli Jam

Ever wondered what to do with an excess of capsicums? Make jam, of course! I found myself with a heap of Bulls Horn capsicums recently, and after a bit of googling, found an easy recipe for Capsicum and chilli jam. Sadly I didn’t have fresh chillis so I substituted ground dried chillis, and it still turned out delicious!

This is a really easy recipe, and gave me three jars of gorgeous red jam. It’s sweet, because Bulls Horn capsicums are sweet (oh and the sugar helps too), but has a tiny bit of a kick in the after-taste. I’m looking forward to trying it on freshly baked bread for breakfast tomorrow🙂

(I really need to figure out the focus on this new camera – sorry folks!)

2 tbs Fowlers Vacola Jamsetta jam-setting mixture (or you could just use plain pectin, but check the quantity needed)

2 tsp bought finely chopped chilli (I used 1 tsp ground dried chilli)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°c. Place the capsicums on a baking tray. Roast in oven, turning once, for 1 hour. Set aside to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool completely.

Peel the skin from the capsicums and remove the membrane and seeds (this is the fiddliest bit – once peeled, I rinsed under a running tap to get rid of the seeds). Place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Add the vinegar and sugar, and stir to combine. Place the pan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the jam-setting mixture and chilli to the capsicum mixture. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Set aside until the bubbles subside. Use a large metal spoon to skim any froth from the surface of the mixture.

Spoon the hot jam mixture into clean, dry jars and seal. Invert for 2 minutes, then turn the jars upright. Set aside to cool.